Many people considering gardening may envision it as an expensive pursuit, laden with costs for various equipment and materials. However, seasoned gardener Amy Chapman (@inthecottagegarden) has shared a refreshing perspective in her Instagram video, demonstrating that starting a garden can be virtually cost-free by reusing everyday items that would typically be discarded. With 179,000 Instagram followers, Amy showed how to repurpose oat milk cartons into seed trays by cutting one side open and adding drainage holes on the opposite side. She then filled these makeshift trays with soil, perfect for planting microgreens like fenugreek seeds. Amy further illustrated the versatility of household waste by creating planters from plastic containers, egg cartons, and even toilet paper tubes, each prepared with proper drainage to ensure successful plant growth.
Repurposing household items not only saves money on gardening supplies but also contributes to environmental sustainability. Growing your vegetables reduces grocery bills and benefits the local ecosystem by supporting pollinators and reducing pollution. Commercial agriculture generates significant pollution through fertilizer runoff, plastic packaging, and transportation emissions. For every pound of food transported, approximately 0.18 pounds of carbon dioxide are emitted. Thus, cultivating 300 pounds of food at home annually can reduce around 50 pounds of carbon pollution. The enthusiasm for Amy’s methods is palpable among her followers, with comments highlighting the timeliness and utility of her tips. One follower remarked, “When I finally get a garden I know what we will be doing with our oatly cartons,”; while another praised the advice, saying, “This came at the perfect time, thank you,” reflecting widespread appreciation and inspiration drawn from Amy’s zero-cost gardening techniques.
